Iain MacWhirter - The Differences Between the SNP and BNP

Today's Herald publishes an article by Iain MacWhirter entitled 'Why SNP believes we are the people... wherever we're from'.

The subheading is - 'What's the difference between the SNP and the BNP?'

Apart from praising Iain's daring in tackling the subject of race and immigration, this extract from his last paragraph sums up my thoughts on the matter.

We must stop allowing the BNP to dictate the terms of the debate on national identity. Racism and ethnic chauvinism in all their forms are repellent and inexcusable. But this is not the same as love of country or celebration of community identity. The SNP is not racist, and never will be, because it does not have, at its root, any concept of national or ethnic superiority.

Source: Herald

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SCOTLAND WINS INTERNATIONAL CONTEST

Little recognition has been given to Scotland's success at winning an international contest to host a cutting-edge operation which aims to transform the way companies run major projects around the world and is expected to create about 200 jobs at an iconic site near Glasgow.  The groundbreaking inward investment by French company Altran is to be on the former Black & White whisky site at Steppes, near Glasgow and is to be marked by a landmark high-rise called Buchanan Tower, after the producer which produced the blend.

The Herald's business editor Ian McConnell says there were many locations considered including Germany, Singapore and India for what is going to be called a 'project factory' but is in essence a hi-tech hub.  The Centre will employ innovative software to help manage major projects for companies around the globe.

Steve Boyle, chief executive of the Altran CIS  division highlighted the part Jack Perry and officials at SET had played in securing the project in the face of international competition.  "They have played a very smart game here," said Boyle of SE, "They have just got us on the hook to think about Scotland and they've never really let us off the hook."

Altran will receive nearly £250,000 of regional selective assistance funding from the Scottish government over three years.  Altra CIS's investment amounts to more than £2m.  John Swinney is expected to join Altran executives for the official launch of the operation at Steppes this week.

It is not often I give credit to Scottish Enterprise but it is due here, so well done.  If Altran's plans come to fruition this could be a well deserved boost to the Scottish economy a few years down the line.

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SNP LOCAL INCOME TAX PLAN SHELVED

The Herald reports today that the Scottish Government has dropped its plans for a local income tax which would have replaced the council tax.

John Swinney claimed it was impossible to introduce in the light of the £1bn of Westminster imposed cuts and Holyrood opposition to the plan.

'He said: "We cannot put together a stable majority to enable us successfully to steer detailed local income tax legislation through this parliament.

"Indeed, the parliamentary vote in December last year made clear that there is no consensus in this Parliament on the best way forward for local taxation.

"The Cabinet has therefore decided not to introduce legislation to abolish the unfair council tax and replace it with a local income tax until after the election in 2011."'

Mr Swinney has promised the present council tax freeze will continue for the full 4 year term of this government.

The opposition parties will ridicule the withdrawal of the LIT plan, even though they refused to support it in Holyrood, but I consider it a brave decision to announce it now, particularly midweek.  Of course the Westminster government prefers to make such announcements on Friday afternoons to avoid the flack.

Now the SNP can go back to the drawing board and start again, because they know and we know there is a much fairer alternative to the council tax.  The Westminster government has done everything in its power to ensure Scotland won't have a fair tax and the final straw to the plan was possibly the Inland Revenue's refusal to collect it.

I'm confident the SNP can produce a tax which is fair to all.  Tomorrow's FMQs could be more entertaining than usual!

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